Counter for registering calls for automatic telephone-exchanges



PATENTED 001?. 18, 1904.

J. ERIGKSON. COUNTER FOR REGISTERING CALLS FOR AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE EXCHANGES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15, 1902.

} N0 MODEL.

5551mm x UNITED STATES Patented OctOber 18, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN ERICKSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO STROWGER AUTO- MATIC TELEPHONE EXCHANGE, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

COUNTER FOR REGISTERING CALLS FOR AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE-EXCHANGES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 772,459, dated October 18, 1904-.

A li ati fil d November 15, 1902. Serial No. 131,501. No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN ERIoKsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Counter for Registering Calls for Automatic Telephone EX- changes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for registering only completed cycles of movements of automatic telephone-exchanges; and my object is to construct a registering device which will register only by means of a plurality of movem ents, and if the cycle of such movements is not completed the registering mechanism is returned to the position it assumed at the end of the last-registered cycle, as is described hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a front elevation showing the device attached to the top portion of theframe of an automatic telephone-exchange switch, which latter is hereinafter partially described and its relation to the counting device fully explained. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4; are respectively front and side elevations similar to what is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but with the mechanism moved from the normal position to illustrate manner of operation. Fig. 5 is a broken diagrammatic view showing the connection between the actuating-motor of the counter and the selector mechanism.

Similar numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views. V

The counter 2 in this instance is of the ordinary kind having a series of adjacent revoluble short cylinders with the numerals arranged around the periphery and the whole mounted within the casing having a window 4, through which a number of numerals may be seen, the latter being changed to register the successive telephone-calls by the step-by-step movements of the central shaft Ratchet-wheel 5 is firmly mounted on shaft 3 and in this instance is provided with fifty teeth. At the side of the ratchet-wheel are ten projecting stop detents 6 to represent the nine numeral characters from I to 9,? inclusive, and 0? the detent disengaged by the downward movement of a projection 13 at the top of switchshaft 14:; Spring 15 serves to yieldingly hold detent 12 in contact withratchet-wheel 5.

A detent 16 is mounted at the outer end of 5 shaft 17, and the outer end of the detent is held in yielding engagement with detent 6 on ratchet-wheel 5 by virtue of spring 18 on shaft 17. I

The top portion of the automatic telephone- 7 switch frame is shown at 19, and 20 indicates a portion of a cylindrical ratchet, through which shaft l i'may be lifted step by step vertically to several different positions.

The magnet 7 is connected with the selecting mechanism through suitable electrical circuits, which are only shown diagrammatically by the broken lines 22 in Fig. 5. "his connection is normally open, as shown by the switch at 23, but may be closed in the usual 0 manner; but as such structures form no part of the present invention it is not thought necessary to further illustrate or describe them.

In the application of this counter to an automatic telephone-exchange the counter is 5 operated electrically, and it is particularly adapted to register calls in that class of automatic telephone-exchanges which comprise a series of selectors and connectors in which a plurality of electrical impulses are necessary In Figs. 1 and 2 the counter and an automatic telephone switch-shaft (shown at 14;) are in the normal position, the collar-stop 21 being in contact with the top of frame 19, and the detent-lever 12 is held out of engagement with ratchet-wheel 5 by the contact of the projection 13 with the inner end thereof, and the-magnet-armature 9 is out of contact with magnet 7, and arm 10 is in a position when pawl 11 is out of contact with ratchet-wheel 5. Also the resiliency of spring 18 causes the upper end of detent16 to be held against two of the detent-pins 6 on wheel 5, which latter is held in position thereby with an even row of numerals 53987 in view atthe window 4, which we will assume is the number of previous calls that have been made. If now in attempting to make another call the telephoneexchange is operated, the switch-shaft 14 is first lifted the pitch of one tooth on ratchet 20, when the shaft assumes the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4, which permits the detent 12 to fall upon ratchet-wheel 5, and the counter mechanism be placed in position to start to register an additional call. We will assume that before switch-shaft 14: was raised one step, as stated, electromagnet 7 was cut out of all electric circuits, but in raising the shaft this magnet is switched into the circuits which are subsequently used for operating the mechanism at a telephone-exchange to make a call and to release the same and that it requires five separate electrical impulses to accomplish this result. Then lever 10, with its pawl 11, will be operated five times and move ratchetwheel 5 one-tenth of a revolution, which will add one more call at window If, however, an attempt has been made to call and the called subscriber is busy and no connection can be made, then magnet 7 will be energized but four times, which does not complete the cycle of five, and the parts will assume the positions shown in Figs. 3 and 4:, with the numeral 8 within one step of the complete row in Fig. 3, and the detent 16, Fig. 4, held outward by one of the detent-pins 6 within one step of falling therefrom to the locking position shown in Fig. 2. In this incomplete cycle when the telephone-exchange is released the switch-arm shaft 14: will fall to the po sition shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and permit the detent 12 to rise from ratchet-wheel 5, when detent 16 by its inward or side pressure on one of the pins 6 with which it is in contact will serve to turn ratchet-wheel5 backwardly' until it again assumes the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and no call be registered.

The number of electrical impulses necessary to operate an automatic telephone-exchange varies with the particular system'employed and with the number of subscribers in any complete system when selector and connector switches are used, so that'the cycle of electrical impulses may be more or less than five and the number of ratchet-teeth on wheel 5 relative to the number of detent-pins 6 may vary; but in every case a plurality of electrical impulses are necessary to complete a cycle of movements in the switches at the telephoneexchange and to fully operate the counter to register such cycle.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a device for registering calls for an automatic telephone-exchange, a counter, and a motor connection between the exchange andv the counter adapted to operate the latter a plurality of times in registering one call.

2. In a device for registering calls for an automatic telephone-exchange, a counter, and a motor connection between the exchange and the counter adapted to operate the latter a plurality of times in registering one call, and means adapted to return the counter to the "number of the previous call.

3. In a device for registering calls for an automatic telephone-exchange, a counter mechanism, a step-by-step motor connection between the exchange and the counter for operating the latter a certain number of times to complete a cycle of movements and register a call, said connection being provided with means adapted to release the counter and return the latter to the number of the previous call inan incompleted cycle of movements.

4:. In a device for registering calls for an automatic telephone-exchange, a counter mechanism having a stop-detent ratchet connected therewith and a detent therefor, and an impulse-ratchet and pawl and detent also connected therewith, the latter ratchet having a plurality of teethfor each of the detent-stops, and means connected with the exchange for operating the impulse-ratchet a plurality of times for each stopdetent.

5. In a device for registering calls for an automatic telephone-exchange, a counter mechanism having a stop-detent ratchet connected therewith and a detent therefor, and an impulse-ratchet and pawl and detent also connected therewith, the latter ratchet having a plurality of teeth for each of the detent-stops, whereby the impulse-ratchet must be operated a plurality of times for each stop-detent to complete a cycle of movements and register a call, and means to release the counter and return the latter to the number of the previous call in an incompleted cycle of movements.

vided with a step-by-step mechanism adapted to be operated a plurality of times to register a call, said mechanism including two detents, one of which is spring-pressed and is adapted to automatically return the counter to the number of the previous call at the termination of an incomplete call, and means inthe exchange for releasing the other detent at said termination.

8. In a device for registering calls for an automatic telephone-exchange, a counter provided with a ratchet mechanism adapted to be operated a plurality of timesto register a call,

tomatic telephone exchange, a counter. a ratchet-wheel connected therewith and provided with stops, the number of stops being an aliquot part of the teeth on the wheel, a pawl and a detent for engaging with. the teeth and a detent for engaging with the stops of the ratchet-wheel, an electromagnet for actuating the pawl and a movable member con: nected with the exchange-switch for releasing the detent from the teeth, and a spring for holding the other detent in engagement with the stops.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN ERIUKSON.

Witnesses: I

OscAR SNELL, CHARLES J. ERICKSON. 

